Can opener



G. DIAMON D April 2, 1957 CAN OPENER Filed April 19, 1954 INVENTOR.

M BY M ATTORNEY United States Patent CAN OPENER George Diamond,Flushing, N. Y.

Application April 19, 1954, Serial No. 423,896

7 Claims. (Cl. 30-46) The present invention relates to a device foropening meta-l cans containing liquid foods or beverages andparticularly cans containing beer, ale, and similar beverages.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a can opener ofsimple construction which can be operated to perforate metal cans withthe use of only one hand and without danger of tilting or tipping thecan during the perforating operation.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a canopener which securely grips or clamps the bead or rim of the can in suchmanner that the resultant pressure on the can is in a downwarddirection, so that tipping of the can is prevented.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a can opener which isso constructed that it can be made with a minimum of parts and ofstamped sheet metal which can be readily produced on a large scale andat low cost.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a can opener whichbasically is of simple plier construction, is capable of gripping andholding the can securely as the perforating member is pressed into thetop of the can, so that the use of both hands to prevent tipping of thecan is unnecessary, and which is composed essentially of two parts andis free from complicated mechanisms which are unappealing to persons notmechanically inclined and to women generally.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a splash guard toprotect the user against spray when the opener is employed to perforatecans containing liquids under pressure, as in the case of canscontaining beer or other carbonated beverages.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a can opener whoseparts are so constructed and related that they lend themselves toshaping in a pleasing and attractive design.

The can opener of the present invention is composed principally of twocrossed levers pivoted to each other intermediate their ends in themanner of a simple pair of pliers. One of the members terminates in asharp end constituting the perforating member, which engages the top ofthe can for perforating the same, while the other member is providedwith a gripping end portion so constructed that it both engages againstor under the bead or rim of the can as well as over and around such beadin such a manner that in the operation of the device, such end portionpresses down on the bead substantially in the same direction as, butparallel to, the pressure exerted by the pointed end of the othermember, so that no couple having a turning moment develops which acts totilt the can, as is the case with known devices of plier-likeconstruction.

The present invention contemplates also the provision of a splash guardforming a permanent part of the device, and which moves automaticallyinto operative position as the opener is applied to a can with one hand,there being no need to employ the other hand either to fit the opener tothe can, or to hold the can on a table against tilting or to put thesplash guard into functioning position.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of exampleon the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 shows a side view of the canopener in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the opener;

Fig. 3 shows the opener in position on a can just prior to theperforating operation, and shows the splash guard in operative position;

Fig. 4 shows a bottom plan view of the clamping or gripping member;while Fig. 5 illustrates a modified construction for the clamping lip.

Referring to the drawing, the can opener comprises two levers 10 and 11formed of sheet metal and pivotally secured to each other intermediatetheir ends, as by means of a rivet or pin 12. The outer and longer arms10a and 11a of the levers may be bent over as indicated at 13 to provideconvenient hand grips. The shorter arm 11b of the lever 11 is providedwith a clamping end which is adapted to engage the side or underside ofthe usual bead at the top of a can and at the same time pass over suchbead and engage the rear or inner surface thereof. For this purpose, thefree end of arm 11b is slightly curved as indicated at 14, so as to fitthe contour of the bead of the can, while fixed to the arm is a grippingmember or jaw 15 which is secured thereto by rivets 16 or by spotwelding or the like. The member 15 is hook-shaped and its free endterminates approximately in the same plane as the end of the arm 11]),but is spaced therefrom by a gap 17 of such width that the bead 17a ofthe can is snugly engaged therewithin, as shown in Fig. 3.

The arm 10b of lever 10 overlies the arm 11b, the two arms being twistedthrough an angle of as indicated at 18. The arm 10b is further bentdownwardly transversely of its plane, as indicated at 19, and forwardlyof the hooked gripping member or jaw 15; it terminates in a point 20which may be slightly bent, as shown in the drawing, so as to exert aforce on the top of the can substantially perpendicular to such top.

A U-shaped bracket 21 having side arms 22 is spot welded or otherwisesecured to the bent-down portion of the arm 10]: adjacent to the bend19. A pivot pin 23 passes through perforations in the side arms 22 andits ends are received in the depending sides 24 of a splash guard 25which overlies the perforating element 10c. The free end of the guard 25preferably extends a short distance forwardly of the point 20, and theguard is preferably yieldingly urged against the perforating element bymeans of a coil spring 26 mounted on the pin 23, one end of the springengaging the top surface of the perforating element or the horizontalportion of the bracket 21, while the other end engages the underside ofthe splash guard 25 at a point rearwardly of the pivot pin 23.

In use, the opener is held in one hand, and with the levers 10 and 11slightly separated, the gripping member is first applied to the body ofthe can in such manner that the free end of the jaw 15 is first passedover the bead and by a downward movement is caused to engage against theinner face of the bead. The opener is then swung slightly downwardly tocause the edge 14 of the lower jaw to engage the side or bottom of thebead. In this way,

the bead is securely gripped and clamped by the arm 11b, and by pressingdown on the arm 11a of such lever, the can is held against the table orother surface on which it rests.

The aim 10a of the lever 10 is then raised with the fingers to bring thepoint 20 into engagement with the top of the can, the splash guard 25 atthe same time moving a short distance away from the point 20 and againstthe action of the spring 26. Continued lifting of the arm lllacauses thepoint 20 to penetrate the can and cut an approximately triangular holetherein, the splash guard being at the same time lowered into more orless horizontal position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Theguard 25 at all times overlies the opening cut into the top. of; thecan, and'asits'free end is always in contact with the top of the canduring the perforating; operation, any liquicl or spray that is expelledfrom the can as it is perforated, owing to the pressure therein or forany other reason, is caught by the guard and returned into the can.

I have found that the gripping or clamping action a:ccomplished by thegripping member 15- is so secure that the can is capable of beingperforated while held suspended in the air by the opener. The grippingmember, as already indicated, can be applied to the bead of the canwithout the aid of the other hand, while the splash guard,

as will. be clear from the above, goes intooperation automatically andwithout any need for manual positioning.

It will be seen from the foregoing that l have provided acan opener ofextremely simple construction and made from a minimum of parts, all ofwhich can be manufactured at low cost from stamped sheet metal, such assteel or the like.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of construction for the clamping end of arm11b, wherein the hook member 27 is formed integrally with the arm and isshaped by bending the arm back on itself, as indicated at 28, and thenbending it forwardly and downwardly to provide the gap 17 for receivingthe bead of the can.

It will be noted that in both embodiments of the clamping or grippingjaw structure, the parts of such structure, namely the forward end ofthe arm 11b with its gripping edge 14 or 14a and the overlying jaw .15or 15a, are so shapedand spaced that the inner face of the bead or rimand likewise the outer side thereof, or the wall of the can adjacent tothe bottom of the bead, are simultaneously engaged by the clamp so as tobe firmly wedged therein, the clamp being disengaged from the bead afterthe top of the can has been perforated upon slight counterclockwisemovement of the arm 11a.

In the illustrated device, the clockwise rotation of the splash guard onits pivot is limited by the engagement by the upper rear edge of theguard against the bend 19 in such manner that the guard cannot fallrearwardly into an inoperative position, the pivot pin being so locatedthat the guard will always fall forwardly against the perforatingelement c by the action of gravity should the spring be broken.

The free end portion of the upper jaw can be made sufficently long toengage not only the inner face of the bead but also the top of the can,to provide a firmer grip on the can when downward pressure is exerted onthe arm 11a. At the same time, pressure is exerted by the perforatingpoint 20 of the arm 10b against the top of the can; however, since thepressure exerted by the parts 20, and or 15a is in the same downwarddirection, no couple is developed and no tilting moment is exerted onthe can. To facilitate cutting of the top of the can, the sides of theperforating element 10c can be beveled in known manner to provide sharpcutting edges.

Other modifications of the construction illustrated in the drawing willsuggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. Thus, the U-shaped bracket can be dispensedwith and can be replaced by lugs or cars struck up from the sides of theperforating element 10c while, if desired, the spring 26 can be omittedand the guard 25 allowed to rest on the top of the can by the action ofgravity.

Iclaim:

1. An opener for metal cans and the like having a peripheral bead,comprising a pair of levers pivoted to each other intermediate theirends, the arms of the levers at one side of the pivot constitutinghand-grip members, one of the arms at the other side of the pivotterminating in a point for perforating the top of a metal container, andthe other arm at said other side of the pivot being provided with jawsspaced substantially in line with the extension of said other arm soasto. grip between them the bead at the top of the can and engage theinner and outer faces of the bead, the free end of the said other armterminating in a curved edge corresponding approximately to thecurvature of a cylindrical can to be opened, said curved edgeconstituting one of the spaced jaws, and the other jaw comprising ahook-shaped member extending from said other arm with its free endterminating approximately in the plane. of said curved edge.

2. An opener for metal cans and the like having a peripherai bead,comprising a pair of levers pivoted to each other intermediate theirends, the-arms of thelevers at one side of the pivot constitutinghand-grip members, one of the arms at the other side of the pivotterminating in a point for perforating the top of a metal container, andthe other arm at said other side of the pivot being provided with jawsspaced substantially in line with the extension of said other arm so asto grip between them the bead at the top of the can and engage the innerand other faces of the head, said levers being made of sheet metal, theportions constituting the hand-grip members being bent on themselves andthe arms at said other side of the pivot being each bent throughapproximately degrees and lying in approximately horizontal planes whenin use, the free end of the said one arm being bent toward the other armand tapering to the said perforating point.

3. An opener as defined in claim 2, wherein one of the jaws is in theform of a hook-shaped member secured to the said other arm.

4. An opener as defined in claim 2, wherein the end portion of the saidother arm is bent on itself rearwardly, and then forwardly anddownwardly to provide the said spacedjaws.

5. An opener for metal cans and the like having a peripheral bead,comprising a pair of levers pivoted to each other intermediate theirends, the arms of the levers at one side of the pivot constitutinghand-grip members, one of the arms at the other side of the pivotterminating in a point for perforating the top of a metal container, andthe other arm at said other side of the pivot being provided with jawsspaced substantially in line with the extension of said other arm so asto grip between them the bead at the top of the can and engage the innerand outer faces of the bead, and a splash guard of approximately channelcross section and pivotally mounted at one end on the said one arm at apoint spaced from the free pointed end of such arm, said splash guardbeing adapted to receive within it the cutting end portion of the saidone arm and thereby prevent injury by said pointed end in the idlecondition of the opener.

6. An opener as defined in claim 5, including a spring normally urgingthe splash guard against the end portion of the said one arm.

7. An opener as defined in claim 5, wherein said splash guard normallyextends beyond the pointed end of said one arm so as to engage the topof the can to be perforated at a region spaced from the perforated areaof the can, so that the free end of the splash guard slides alogg thetop of the can as the perforating operation procee 5.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,626,052 Schaefer Apr. 26, 1927 1,641,054 Schanning Aug. 30, 19271,662,172 Schaefer Mar. 13, 1928 2,077,675 Cross Apr. 20, 1937 2,253,481Eberts Aug. 19, 1941 2,280,336 Maihack Apr. 21, 1942 2,317,541 Leck Apr.27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 571,757 Great Britain Sept. 7, 1945

